Folding chair



1963 M. GOLDSHOLL ETAL 3,11 02 FOLDING CHAIR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 19, 1962 H. us mnm m nv m 3 mm 1963 M. GOLDSHOLL ETAL 3,1 3,8 2

FOLDING CHAIR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' Filed March 19, 1962 'i'lar I n 5 M m /z 3 5m G 1mm 7 r. w 2

United States Patent Ofifice 3,ll3,8d2 Patented Dec. 10, 1963 3,113,802 FQLDENG tCiliAlR Morton *Goldslioli, Highland Park, and James E. Logan,

Evanston, Ell, assignors to torieiine Corporation, Eachsou, Miss., a corporation of illinois Filed Mar. 19, 1952, Ser. No. 180,729 Claims. (Cl. 297-65) O-u-r invention relates to folding chairs, and is especially adaptable to high chairs designed especially for the use of infants, although not necessarily restricted thereto.

Our invention has to do more particularly with a chair of the class referred to which is especially designed to be folded into an arrangement occupying a minimum of space and which, when erected for use, will be exceptionally strong, stable, rugged and light in weight. As is well known, it is highly important that a chair of this character must remain standing solidly when occupied by an active child and must withstand any tendency to ward tipping, sliding or other movement despite the most vigorous action of the infant occupying the chair and regardless of the nature of the supporting surface. Our invention is especially designed to meet this requirement.

A further object of our invention is to provide such a chair which is simple in construction, can be manufactured relatively inexpensively, and is highly durable despite severe usage over a lengthy period of time.

Various other objects and advantages will suggest thernselves to those skilled in the art as the description proceeds.

Referring now to the drawings forming a part of this specification and illustrating a preferred embodiment of our invention,

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a high chair illustrative of our invention, in erected condition ready for occupancy;

FIG. 2 is a similar vieW of the same chair in folded condition;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of same, in erected condition as in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view showing the same chair folded as in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a rear elevational View of the same chair in erected condition;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the same;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 77 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view showing means for retaining the chair in erected condition, and

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 99 of FIG. 7.

The chair shown in the drawings comprises a front frame 19, formed of a pair of legs 12, 12 spaced apart and secured together by means of braces 15 and 16. The legs 12 and brace 15 are preferably formed of tubular material, such as stainless steel or other suitable material. Brace 15 preferably has its ends bent as indicated at 17, said bent ends being flattened and attached to legs 1% by any suitable means, as by brazing, rivets, bolts and nuts, etc. Brace 16 may be a rod or the like.

Legs l2, 12, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, are bent upwardly and rearwardly at an obtuse angle, brace rod 16 being attached adjacent this point of inflection and secured by any suitable means such as brazing, welding, etc. Adjacent their upper extremities legs l2, 12 are pressed to form fiat ears 23 (FIG. 9) which are pivotly attached as at 25 to a U-shaped bracket 23 brazed or otherwise secured to the under-portion of a U-bar 39, also preferably formed of tubular stock, providing arms 32, 32 and a back portions 33 (FIGS. 5 and 7 As a rear support for the chair we provide a U-shaped member 35, also preferably formed of tubular stock, com- 2 prising at its upper extremity a horseshoe-shaped portion 356 (FIG. 5) and downwardly and diagonally outwardly extending legs 37, 37. A brace rod 39 extends between and is secured to legs 37 as by brazing or the like.

Feet 4 2, which may be in the form of soft rubber caps or the like capable of securely gripping a smooth floor, are attached to the lower extremities of legs 12 and 37.

A backrest 4%) is provided, preferably of bent plywood or other suitable material, suitable upholstery (not shown) being attached thereto if desired. The backrest 40' may be secured to the web portion 33 of U-bar 30, as by means of U-shaped straps 43, 43 riveted or otherwise secured to backrest 4i), and may be also attached as by rivets or screws 45 to the rear support 35, as seen in FIG. 5.

As noted above, a channel-shaped strap or bracket 28 is brazed or otherwise secured to the bottom of each arm 32, 32. The front are swiveled to said brackets, as seen best in PEG. 9. These brackets and a similar pair of brackets 28' similarly secured adjacent the forward extremities of ar-ms 32, 3'2 embrace the side marginal portions of a seat 5% which, like backrest 4%, is also preferably formed of bent plywood or the like and may, like the backrest, be provided with. suitable upholstery. Seat 59 is attached to the brackets 2.3, 2% by suitable means 25 such as rivets, bolts 01' the like extending through the brackets and the seat, whereby seat is firmly supported and carried by the arms, resting on brace rod 16 when the chair is orect, as seen in F565. 3 and 5.

A bail which is generally of V-formation has its extremities s veled as at 57, 5'7 to rear legs 37, 37, the vertex of said bail, which is rounded on a substantial radius as indicated at 6% (FIGS. 3 and 5), being brazed, welded or otherwise secured to brace rod 15.

A suitable step or footrest is provided and a plu rality of spaced bolt holes be provided in legs 12, 12 whereby said footrest may be adjustably secured to the legs at a desired elevation.

A tray 7b is provided of any desired form and material. We preferably provide a tray molded of a suitable synthetic plastic such as polyethylene, styrene, etc., such 3 being well known to those skilled in the art. ay, as conterr ated according to our invention, is provided with molded legs or the like which. are mounted on suitable brackets 75 which are arranged for slidable adjustment longitudinally on arms 32, 32. Inasm h as tizese brackets may be of standard or other suitable design and are not part of our invention, they are not described here in detail.

A flexible strap 3% formed of textile fabric, plastic material or the like is attached to the bottom forward marginal portion of seat 56, as at 82 (FIG. 4), carrying a snapper or other suitable attaching element at its other extremity whereby, after an infant is seated in the chair, said strap 8d may be passed between its legs and fastened to a stud or other attaching member (not shown) provided on the bottom of tray 79, so that the infant may be secured against falling out of the chair.

It will be seen that we have pnovided an exceptionally simple and convenient construction for a folding chair. When erected as seen in FIGS. 1, 3, 5 and 7, the chair will stand rigidly despite violent movement by an infant occupant. On the other hand, the chair may be folded to a condition as seen in FIGS. 2 and 4 so as to occupy a minimum of space and may be folded or erected with a minimum of time. This facility is of the utmost importance to the housewife.

The bail 55 serves to limit the movement of front and rear legs and contributes toward a rigid structure when erected.

Referring to FIG. 8, we provide means for retaining the chair in erected condition, preferably in the form of a spring clip 85 riveted or otherwise secured to the bottom forward portion of seat 50 and capable of snapping over brace bar 16 and readily disengageable therefrom. By such means inadvertent collapse of the chair resulting from violent action of the occupant is obviated.

Various changes and modifications coming within the spirit of our invention may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and hence we do not Wish to be limited to the form shown or uses mentioned except to the extent indicated in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A folding chair, comprising (a) .a front frame comprising a pair of spaced legs having upper and lower transverse brace bars,

(11) a rear frame comprising a pair of spaced legs,

(0) rigid connecting means pivoted to said frames,

(d) a U-shaped arm member having a back portion and parallel side portions,

(e) the side portions being pivoted to the front frame.

(1) a rigid seat fixed to the side portions of said arm member and abuting on the upper brace bar of the front frame when the chair is in erected position, said bar thus limiting the opening movement of the chair,

(g) a backrest attached to the rear frame and pivota lly 3. A combination as in claim 1, wherein (a) two pairs of brackets are carried by the side portions of said arm member, each pair being alined sidewise of the chair and said pairs being spaced apant from front to rear of the chair,

(b) said seat being secured to said brackets and (c) said front frame being pivotally secured to one pair of said brackets.

4. A combination as in claim 1, wherein the rear frame comprises a substantially integral member including downwardly diverging legs with an arcuate portion, joining their upper extremities,

(a) two pairs of brackets are carried by the side portions of said arm member, each pair being alined sidewise of the chair and said pairs being spaced apart from front to rear of the chair,

(1)) said seat being secured to said brackets and (c) said front frame being pivotally secured to one pair of said brackets.

5. A combination as in claim 4, having means for detachably locking the seat to said upper brace bar, to prevent inadvertent collapse of the chair due to rocking "action when in erect position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,580,178 Kvarnstrom Dec. 25, 1951 2,777,503 Grace Jan. 15, 1957 2,852,068 Rossi Sept. 16, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 141,844 Australia Nov. 3, 1949 538,234 Great Britain July 25, 1941 

1. A FOLDING CHAIR, COMPRISING (A) A FRONT FRAME COMPRISING A PAIR OF SPACED LEGS HAVING UPPER AND LOWER TRANSVERSE BRACE BARS, (B) A REAR FRAME COMPRISING A PAIR OF SPACED LEGS, (C) RIGID CONNECTING MEANS PIVOTED TO SAID FRAMES, (D) A U-SHAPED ARM MEMBER HAVING A BACK PORTION AND PARALLEL SIDE PORTIONS, (E) THE SIDE PORTIONS BEING PIVOTED TO THE FRONT FRAME. (F) A RIGID SEAT FIXED TO THE SIDE PORTIONS OF SAID ARM MEMBER AND ABUTTING ON THE UPPER BRACE BAR OF THE FRONT FRAME WHEN THE CHAIR IS IN ERECTED POSITION, SAID BAR THUS LIMITING THE OPENING MOVEMENT OF THE CHAIR, (G) A BACKREST ATTACHED TO THE REAR FRAME AND PIVOTALLY SECURED TO THE BACK PORTION OF THE ARM MEMBER, (H) SAID CONNECTING MEANS SERVING TO CONTROL RELATIVE OPENING AND CLOSING MOVEMENTS OF THE FRAMES, TO PERMIT COLLAPSE OF THE CHAIR TO A POSITION WHERE THE FRAMES LIE IN RELATIVELY CLOSE AND GENERALLY PARALLEL PLANES. 